The Eva team
Your AI general manager
Knowing how to handle unpaid invoices and cancellations protects the money you have already earned, and most owners lose more here than they realize. A last-minute cancellation burns a slot you could have sold, and an invoice that drifts for weeks can quietly become a write-off. The fix is not being aggressive, it is having clear policies set in advance: deposits, a cancellation rule, and a calm, automatic follow-up sequence.
Stop the problem before the job
The best way to get paid is to remove the chance of not getting paid. Set the terms up front, in writing, and have them agreed before you clean.
- Take a deposit on first cleans and large jobs, often 25 to 50 percent.
- Keep a card on file for recurring clients so billing is automatic.
- Put payment terms in your quote: when it is due and how to pay.
- Get the cancellation policy agreed before the first visit, not after a problem.
A cancellation policy that holds
Your time is the product. A no-show or a same-day cancellation is a real loss, so your policy should reflect that without being harsh.
- Require at least 24 to 48 hours notice to cancel or reschedule for free.
- Charge a cancellation fee, commonly 50 percent of the visit, for late cancellations.
- Charge the full rate for a true no-show or a locked-out home.
- State the policy in writing and have it agreed before the first clean.
- Apply it consistently, because exceptions train clients to cancel.
A dunning sequence that gets paid
Dunning just means the polite, escalating chase on an overdue invoice. Most late payers are forgetful, not dishonest, so the first nudges stay friendly.
- Day 0: send the invoice the moment the visit is done, while it is fresh.
- Day 3 after due date: a warm reminder assuming they simply missed it.
- Day 7: a firmer note restating the amount and an easy way to pay.
- Day 14: a direct message about pausing service until the balance clears.
- Day 30 and beyond: stop service and consider a final demand before write-off.
Make paying effortless
People pay fast when paying is easy. Friction is the real reason invoices sit unpaid.
- Send a professional invoice with a one-tap payment link, not a bank reference to type.
- Accept cards and digital payment, not just cash or check.
- Keep the amount, the date, and the work clear so there is nothing to query.
Need a clean invoice today, the invoice generator builds a professional one in seconds, and a signed cleaning contract makes your deposit and cancellation terms enforceable.
Let Eva chase so you do not have to
Chasing money is the job no owner enjoys, so hand it to Eva. She invoices the second a job is done, sends the polite reminder sequence automatically, and chases unpaid balances until they clear, all in a warm, on-brand voice. You keep the relationship, she keeps the cash flow moving. Next, lock it down with standard contracts to protect yourself.